Made for Life on the Moon, United Nude’s Flat-Pack Heels Are Cosmic Couture at Its Craziest

Moon walker you say? This crazy platform heel may not be suitable for lunar expeditions, but it’s definitely out of this world. Designed by United Nude for the “Moon Life” project, originated by Spanish performance artist Alicia Framis, the futuristic footwear is based on Framis’ premise that humans will live in space someday. The carbon-fiber components come flat-packed for easy travel and self-assembly, with interchangeable leather uppers for the wearer to create a custom look each time, each one wackier than the last.

SPACE ODDITY

Framis invited a group of artists, architects, and designers, the U.S. shoe company among them, to develop a concept piece for an “extreme lunar environment.” Because a space-age shoe would need to be elegant (apparently), practical, and hold up to the rigors of intergalactic travel, United Nude used carbon fiber, surmising that the lightweight yet hardy material would resist potential variations in temperature and pressure. Coupled with a flat-pack design that fits into the smallest of carry-on bags, the shoe is a cosmic hitchhiker’s dream, if also a podiatrist’s nightmare.

Coupled with a flat-pack design, the shoe is a cosmic hitchhiker’s dream, if also a podiatrist’s nightmare.

Shipped almost completely flat—only the molded footbed and soles have a three-dimensional heft—the pieces slot into one another like a jigsaw puzzle. A thin wire secures the structure to two sections of leather that comprise the upper. Total time to liftoff? Less than 10 minutes, according to United Nude. The label is working on a version that will be available for purchase in limited quantities on the Moon Life website and select boutiques around the world. Imagine, you too can have your own wearable space-age torture chair!